Heelless overshoe



M. V W-lL-DE.

HEELLESS OVERSHOE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4. 1921.

1,425,?3 l Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

INVEN TOR.

MARIE van-exam wra s, or NEW rose, a. Y.

HEELLESS O'VEHOE.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, MARIE VAUGHAN WILDE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 11'1 Heelless Overshoes, of which the following is a specification, reference bemg had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to rubber overshoes of the heelless-variety, commonly known as sandals. As ordinaril made, an overshoe of this form is provided with a sin le integral strap which is drawn up over t e heel of the foot to hold the overshoe in place thereon, the strap being sufliclently elast c for that purpose. Such a holding strap is objectionable for a variety of reasons: For instance, being elastic, it ulls rearwardly on the overshoe with consi erable force and consequently produces an unpleasant and harmful drawing effect upon the foot of the wearer, especially when the overshoe 1S worn with low shoes. Moreover, in use, the strap soon looses its elasticity and becomes so enlarged that it sags below the heel and permits the overshoe to slip off the foot. In addition the strap frequently tears apart, rendering the overshoe unfit for further wear.

The present invention is intended to provide a simple attachment whereby the overshoe may be held securely in place without the objectionable drawing effect referred to and without danger of its becoming detached from the foot.

The invention also aims to provide an attachment of the kind mentioned which may be freely adjusted for fitting purposes and which may be readily applied to or removed from the overshoe when desired.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an overshoe provided with my improved attachment and illustrating the manner in which it is applied to the foot; y

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the overshoe showing the attachment in an unapplied condi: tion; and

Fig. 3 is a view-of a detail.

The heelless overshoe proper may be of any approved form or style, that illustrated comprising a sole portion 1 and a top portion 2, the latter being intended to cover the whole forepart of the shoe. In accordance with my invention, the overshoe is pro- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 15, 1922, Application filed June 4, 1921. Serial No. 414,932.

vided at the rear with two separate holding straps 3 attached to thev top portion 2 at opposlte sides as at 4, and made sufiiciently long and flexible to be wrapped about the foot the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. As shown in that figure, the two straps are passed over the heel, crossing each other as at 5, then Wrapped .around the ankle, and finally secured together at the front, as by a bow-knot 6. As thus applied, the two straps provide, on one hand, a heel gripping portion 7 extended rearwardly from the overshoe and which serves to hold the same m place, and, on the other hand, an ankle dripping portion 8 extended forwardly from the heel portion and which serves to prevent the latter from sagging or dropping from its holding position, thereby permitting a considerable degree of looseness of the heel portion without danger of the overshoe becoming detached from the foot.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the straps 3 are shown as fastened integrally to the overshoe, as they might be, but in practise it is proposed to connect them detachably to the overshoe in some such wa as illustrated for example in Fig. 3. As tlierein shown, to provide a suitable, detachable connection, the strap is equipped at one end with an eye or loop 9 and the top portion 2 of the overshoe is formed with two holes or eyelets 10, it being obvious that in attaching the strap its free end need merely be threaded through the eyelets 10 and loop 9 in the manner shown. There are of course various other ways in which the straps might be detachably connected to the overshoe; in fact, this could be accomplished in crude form simply by passing each strap through one of the eyelets and then tying a knot in the end for anchorage purposes. The feature of my in vention in this respect resides broadly in a detachable connection of some kind between the two holding straps and the overshoe. This feature is very advantageous, as it not only permits the two straps to be easily and quickly applied to the overshoe, but it also enables them to be as easily and quickly removed, thus providing for the ready changing of the straps when they become torn or spoiled or when for any other reason it becomes desirable or necessary to do so.

, It is to be noted-that the two straps When manipulated as above described provide a practically unlimited range of adjustment, which is particularly useful in permitting 15 to the straps themse ves, they may be of made and applied to the overshoe with the minimum of expense. ment presents a very neat and attractive ap- Besides, the attachpearance and is peculiarly 'well suited to ladies foot-Wear.

While it is more advantageous and desirable to tie' the free ends of the holding straps together in "the manner illustrated, it is obvious that they might be secured in some other Way, as for example by the use of a clasp or buckle of an approvedform. As

any desired material, such for instance as ordinary ribbon or rubberized fabric, but they preferably should be flexible enough to. be wrapped about the foot in the manner shown and described. Such modifications and adaptations are clearly embraced Withlimit myself to any specific form or embodiment, except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claim. 1

Having thus described my I claim is as follows:--

, An overshoe consisting of a sole portion and a dished-out topportion, and provided with an attachment for holding it in place, the said attachment presenting two straps secured to and extending from the rear upper corners of the top portion and adapted to be passed over the heel and around the ankle and detachably secured together in that condition.

In testimony whereof, I have affixedmy signature hereto.

MARIE VAUGHAN WILDE.

invention, what 

